Live: The 1975

Ever since the release of The 1975’s newest album A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, the band’s U.S. fan base has been awaiting another tour from the Manchester-based band.

The band set out on a North American tour in late March.

I had the pleasure of seeing The 1975 twice on this tour, once in Cincinnati on May 12th and again in Nashville on May 15th. Whenever I mentioned that I was seeing the band two times in one week, I usually got asked “What’s the point? You’re seeing the same show can’t you just go once?”

Well, no. Both shows were a completely different experience.

For the Cincinnati show, three of my friends and I decided we were going to camp for the show. For any average concert goer, this would seem unnecessary, but for The 1975, it’s something they see happening every night.

My friend Holly and I arrived at PNC Pavilion the Friday before the show and met with my sister Brooke and our friend Lizzie. We spent the entire weekend with people who were all there for the same reason: they love The 1975.

Whenever you’re camping for a 1975 show you also meet a lot of people you would have never met anywhere else. I had met two of my friends, Layna and Grant, camping for a 1975 show back in 2016 and we were able to all reunite at this show. It’s nice to be surrounded by so many people who love the same things you do and have everybody gathered in one place.

The 1975 has a very dedicated fan base and it’s rare to meet a group of people like them. When camping for the Cincinnati show, I met a girl named Lexi. She has traveled all over the country to see the band. The 1975 was scheduled to play Red Rocks Amphitheater in the spring but due to a snowstorm, the show got canceled. In honor of the cancelation, Lexi and many other fans got snow storm or Red Rocks related tattoos. Even though the show never happened, fans still made the most of it.

“Tour mom” Kim has been seeing The 1975 live and camping for shows with her daughter for years. In an Instagram post Kim discusses what The 1975, camping, the shows, and the friendships she’s made mean to her. Going to a 1975 show is a lot more than just seeing the band play live. Many of the fans have made lifelong friendships, had unforgettable experiences, traveled the country (and in some cases, overseas), all while seeing a band they love.

The Nashville show on May 15th was slightly different. My friends and I left just a few hours before the show started and went in after the doors had already opened. This was my first time going to a 1975 show and not camping out for it.

Both shows were amazing.

The stage setup that the band has for this tour is unlike anything I have seen at other concerts. They have a very large LED screen along with a very large light-up rectangle. The combination of these two made the visuals at the show super intense.

One unique thing about the stage setup this tour was the treadmill on stage. Front man Matty Healy was gliding across the stage and being front row, it felt like a movie.

Being in the front row for The 1975 is a really great experience and you’re able to be more intimate and personal with the performance. But, any show is going to be what you make it. During the Nashville show we may not have had a barricade spot, but I was able to share an amazing night with my best friends. This show was a lot more special to me for that reason, there’s honestly nothing better than seeing your favorite band with your favorite people.

The band switched up their set for this show. Matty had a moment to himself on stage and played an acoustic version of “Be My Mistake” and also brought back “Medicine.”

When you go to multiple dates on a tour you still get a “different show” each time and The 1975 knows how to make each show special.

If you ever have an opportunity to see The 1975 once – or 25 times – I highly recommend doing so. Even if you aren’t particularly a fan or you don’t enjoy camping, The 1975 puts on a concert that can be entertaining for anybody.